


The Beauty's Beast

by VermillionWarrior



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Beauty and the Beast Elements, Blood and Violence, Curses, F/M, Frans - Freeform, Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Human Souls (Undertale) - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Love at First Sight, Magic, Papara, Papyrus is too, Romance, Sans is a big puppy dog, Weird Fluff, Yandere, castle - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:20:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26454046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VermillionWarrior/pseuds/VermillionWarrior
Summary: Frisk’s eyes were slowly adjusting to the darkness and she could make out the broken orchestra baloney high above her and shattered diamond chandeliers hanging from the ceiling by rusted chains. In front of the room were three thrones sitting like ancient statues in the light of the moon. The glass wall behind the thrones was broken and shattered like everything else. Frisk tried to picture what the room might have looked like in its prime.The intricate design of the stained glass is a backdrop to the royal family as they sit on their thrones watching their citizens happily dance to the music of the orchestra. The reflecting light of chandeliers highlighting the beautiful mural on the ceiling for all to see.It sounded like something out of a fairytale.OrChara goes missing on a monster hunt and Frisk has to go find her. What happens when she comes across a very touched-starved magical creature that can't seem to leave her alone for more than two seconds? What if Chara is in the same situation?
Relationships: Chara & Frisk (Undertale), Chara/Papyrus (Undertale), Frisk/Sans (Undertale), Papyrus & Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 62





	The Beauty's Beast

Frisk was worried about her sister. 

Chara had been gone for more than five days when she said she’d only be gone for three. Chara never stayed away longer than she said she would. Sometimes she’d even come back early just to surprise Frisk and then they’d spend the night talking about her travels while Frisk caught her up on the town gossip. Frisk always looked forward to those nights and since Chara had been coming back early from her last two trips it was only right to assume she’d be back early again. 

“Everything happens in threes” Chara used to say. “That’s the Rule of the World. Once is luck, twice is a coincidence, and three times is a pattern.” Frisk cocked her head to the side, giving her a puzzled look as she poured the newly brewed tea into their cups. “ ‘Rule of the World’? Isn’t that something Mother used to say?” Chara nodded and nursed one of the cups in her snow bitten hands. The wool blanket on her shoulders rolled down onto the chair and Frisk reached over, pulling the blanket back over her sister. Chara gave her a grateful look before taking a long sip of tea.

“Yay, and the more I travel, the more it’s true. Like one time when I was in Padstow- you know where that is right?” Frisk nodded. “I was working a job there for a monster that had been bothering the village's livestock. At first, I thought it was your everyday trickster since none of the livestock was actually killed, but then I started seeing this guy around.” Chara’s voice dropped and her eyes glazed over like they always did when she was telling a story. “He wasn’t very tall, about my height, and he had pale skin with snow-white hair. He wore a cloak of white cloth but every time I saw him it was never dirty, not a speck of dust. And he always had the hood pulled up over his head so a shadow hid everything but his bright blue eyes.”

Frisk was sitting on the edge of her seat now, giving Chara her full attention as she tried to picture the story in her head. 

“The first time I saw him was when I first arrived and at first I thought he was just another random villager going about his day but then he stopped and stared at me. Not moving, not speaking, just staring. And when I asked him why he was looking at me his eyes widened in what I can only assume was shock, and then he was gone.”

“Gone?” Frisk said, surprised. Chara nodded and took another sip of her cooling tea.

“I blinked once and he was gone. I carried on not thinking much of it and made my way to the mayor’s house where I learned that the creature had killed something but it wasn’t a cow or a sheep. It was the village drunk who had been killed just the night before, quite brutally might I add, his heart was ripped out. After asking around, I found out he had been bragging about how he could take down the beast all by himself the night of his death. Several people saw him leave the tavern but no one saw him come back in.

“I decided to stay at the inn and when I walked in I saw the boy again. He was standing on the stairwell looking down at me and I said, ‘Hello’. The boy looked surprised again and he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. It got to the point where the boy might as well be screaming before the innkeeper tapped my shoulder breaking my concentration. ‘What are ya looking at, Boy?’ and I said, ‘I was looking at hi-’ but I never finished because when I went to point out the white-haired boy to the innkeeper he wasn’t there anymore, just like when we were back in the marketplace.”

“So he’s a ghost then?” Frisk said but it came out as more of a question than a statement. Chara put down her empty teacup and folded her legs under her in the chair, wrapping the blanket around her tighter. “Mhmm, a tormented soul forced to stay here because they can not cross over.”

Chara looked over at her sister and carefully searched her for any sign of fear or distress. Frisk was never one for violence but somehow (no matter how much Chara knew she detested it) she supported Chara's decision to become a sword for hire, though, anymore she was a monster hunter for hire. Not finding any immediate signs of discomfort Chara continued.

“I knew the ghost had to be connected to the killings and disturbances somehow; so I started asking around again. To my surprise, no one knew anything about the white-haired boy and when someone seemed like they knew something their faces blanked for a moment before saying ‘Sorry I don’t know anyone by that description’. Next, I would have asked the mayor to look through the city records if they had them but my main priority was the mystery creature that had killed a villager. 

“From my limited information I thought I was going up against a werewolf or two and -after taking the right precautions-,” Chara added when Frisk gasped at the mention of a werewolf, “-I went to spend the night near the livestock. I set the trap and waited until the moon rose to its highest peak before I saw him. He was stalking along the forest edge looking at the livestock and after a minute or so he started to crawl towards them. I circled around back and planned to come up behind him to land the killing blow. I got within range with my sword, raising it I was ready to strike but then something struck me from behind!

Frisk let out a strangled gasp. 

“It was another werewolf and I could see this one was newly turned. I held back its snapping jaws but I saw the other werewolf turning to help his comrade. I would have died,” Chara said trailing off looking into the fireplace, watching the flames lick the burnt brick walls. 

Frisk patted her arm, a fearful but also relieved expression on her face as she said, “But you didn’t… Was it the white-haired ghost?”

Chara looked away from the fire and turned to Frisk. “Yes,” she said, “But the one thing I don’t understand is when I was being attacked he showed up and  _ talked _ to the werewolves. He talked them down from their homicidal high to save me.” 

Frisk frowned not understanding either. From what Frisk knew of werewolves, was once they were turned nothing got in the way of their bloodshed and the fact that they were able to be talked down from their instincts was impossible, or so she thought. “Why do you think he did that, Chara?”

Chara shook her head, “I don’t know, but Frisk-” she reached out to grab her sister’s hand and squeezed, “-I saw his face and it was horrible.” Chara sounded genuinely frightened by it if her iron-like grip was anything to go by. “It was twisted and morphed into something not human, Frisk; cuts and scars where there shouldn't have been.” If Frisk didn’t know any better she’d say her sister was near hysterics. She gently rubbed Chara’s arm up and down and it calmed her down somewhat, enough to keep talking. 

“And then, when the werewolves left, he waved at me to follow him and the werewolves into the woods.” Frisk couldn’t take it anymore and hugged Chara with all her might. “But you didn’t, you’re here with me. You’re safe,” Frisk whispered. Chara hugged back but only for a moment before pushing her back. Frisk frowned at her but it quickly turned to horror when she saw Chara’s dead-set eyes. “No,” Frisk commanded, gripping Chara’s shoulder as if the action alone would be enough to make her stay.

Chara gave her a weak smile before pulling Frisk off her. “I have to,” She said, getting up out of her chair. Frisk sprung to her feet and followed Chara into her (was it really hers if she only used it two times a month) room where all her hunting equipment was laid out on her bed. “It’s not your job to protect them and it could be dangerous!” Frisk pleaded, watching helplessly as Chara shoved her clothes into her worn travel sack. 

“That’s why I  _ have _ to do it,” Chara said, her voice never wavering. “Frisk, whatever creature did that to the ghost-” Chara paused in her movements, “-It wasn’t natural, and I need to know what happened.”

“No, you DON’T!” Frisk yelled before breaking into tears. Chara stopped packed and mentally kicked herself. She knew how Frisk was going to react but she didn’t see the point in sugar-coating it. She took a hesitant step towards her and wrapped her arms around Frisk in an awkward hug. Frisk didn’t seem to care though and buried her head in Chara’s shoulder, hugging her back. 

Chara waited until Frisk wasn’t crying her heart out before pulling away and she whipped away her leftover tears. “I’ll be back in three days’ time. If I’m not back by then you can sound the alarms and send out as many search parties as you see fit.” The joke gained Chara a small laugh and a few more tears fell out of her eyes. Frisk sniffed and tugged Chara back into a hug. Chara wasn’t one for touching in any manner other than a polite handshake but she could tell Frisk needed it. So she ignored the unpleasant itching beneath her skin and hugged her sister.

“Just promise me you’ll be careful,” Frisk whispered. Chara chuckled, “Always am.”

~~~~****~~~~

That was seven days ago, and Chara still hadn't returned. 

By the end of the fifth day, Frisk had decided to go looking for her sister. No one in town would have helped her. She and Chara had been the village outcasts ever since their mother passed away shortly after their father had died in the war with a neighboring kingdom. They both were leaders of the village before they died and it was probably the reason the sisters hadn’t been outcasted before then for their… peculiarities. 

Chara was different from any other woman in the village because she always had a fighter’s spirit. Sometimes their father would jokingly say she was a man born in a woman’s body. Chara would much rather be wrestling with the boys or practice fighting stances she’d seen some of the passing knights do in training than help clean the laundry. 

Frisk was, too, a wilder spirit but not quite as spiteful as Chara. She was more likely to be found in the flower meadow outside the village than inside helping to make supper. One time Frisk remembered taming a wild buck and riding it back home for supper one night. She could still recall everyone’s shocked expressions as she rode the 300-pound beast through the marketplace. She could also remember how she had cried the whole night when she found out someone had killed the deer the second she stepped inside her house. 

So Frisk set out for Padstow, which was a day's ride. Taking care of what she packed but having seen Chara pack her bags over a dozen times she was confident she was doing at least one thing right. She took her trusted stallion, Chancer, with her because traveling on foot would take too long and she didn’t want him to be left alone. She didn’t know how long she’d be gone and she knew the village would take any chance they got to attack the “witches”. 

They arrived in Padstow late at night of the second day and easily found the inn Chara had mentioned in her story. 

Frisk quickly handed Chancer off to a kind-looking stable boy who led the brown stallion around back towards the stables. One thing Chara had forgotten to mention was Padstow was in the beginnings of a hard winter and Frisk had to walk through a fresh snowfall to get into a decently warm building. 

She let out a long sigh when she finished stepping into the Inn and relished in the blast of heat coming from the fireplace. Frisk walked over to it and put her hands near the flames, wishing now more than ever that she had gloves. 

Frisk and Chara were not rich by any means, the majority of their money going to keeping food on the table and paying the taxes the village had set for them to pay each month (“I’m telling you, Frisk, they only have these high of taxes for us just because we’re the town ‘witches’.  _ Tsk _ ! Pigs the lot of them.”). The only protection Frisk had from the brewing storm was the blue cloak that had once belonged to her mother.

“Hey! Girl, are you going to get a room or what?” a voice shouted from behind Frisk. 

She turned around and saw the Innkeeper waiting impatiently behind the bar on the other side of the room. It was a man about in his mid-thirties and Frisk could have sworn she’d seen something move in his discolored beard. Nevertheless, she didn’t want to come across as being rude, so she tore herself away from the fire and she instantly mourned the loss of heat as she walked over to the bar. 

“May I have a room for one, please,” Frisk said, using the tone Chara often used when she was ordering rooms or food and silently hoped the man wouldn’t question her. The man looked her up and down, greedy eyes raking over the edge of her lavender-colored dress and where it hugged her hips. “Where’s your company, little lady? I don’t think they’d leave someone like you all alone~.” 

Frisk didn’t like how this was going but she clenched her teeth, refusing to stand down. Then an idea popped into her head and she let out some of the tension in her shoulders, trying to appear relaxed. She pulled out a small flower pendant necklace from around her neck and showed it to the Innkeeper. “My husband actually arrived here a couple of days ago and sent word to me to meet him here. He wears this same necklace.” Frisk smiled at the disappointed and scared look on the Innkeeper’s face when he realized she meant Chara. 

Frisk had gotten her and her sister matching flower necklaces when they were younger and it was their own unique form of a friendship bracelet. Chara had claimed she hated it and said it was “too girly” which Frisk retaliated with “but you  _ are _ a girl”. Chara had put the necklace on reluctantly but Frisk couldn’t recall a day when she hadn’t proudly worn the flower necklace as a sign of their sisterhood. Frisk also knew when Chara was on a job people assumed she was a man because of her short haircut and her naturally deeper voice. More than once people mistakenly thought they were together because they were so close (also Chara would never let Frisk forget the fact that she was taller than her by a couple of inches).

The man leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Ya talking about that monster hunting freak that’s been here for the past week?” His voice shook slightly when he said “monster hunting” and Frisk had to push down her flaring anger. Chara was not a freak. She was so much more than a plain old mindless monster hunter. She saved people's lives on a daily basis and when the people couldn’t pay for her services she did the job without pay. Chara’s softer side was rarely shown but it didn’t give people the right to call her as if she wasn’t human at all.

Instead of telling the Innkeeper her thoughts, Frisk took a deep breath and calmly said, “What room is he staying in? I can sleep with him.” The Innkeeper scoffed and, raking his eyes over her body once more before saying, “Up the stairs, fourth door on your left.” Frisk gave him a half-hearted thanks and jogged up the stairs, wanting to get away from the perverted man as fast as she could. 

She followed the Innkeeper’s directions and walked down a short hallway to the last door on the left. She knocked on the door, “Chara? Are you in there?” There wasn’t a reply. Frisk hesitated before and opened the door.

_ Well at least Chara was here _ , Frisk thought as she looked around the room. 

It looked like a small tornado had gone through the room. Shoes were laid out in front of a long since burned out fire and Chara’s clothes were hazardously thrown about. Frisk could see Chara’s leather armor sitting on the small bed in the farthest corner and Frisk’s worry came back tenfold. 

Chara never left her armor behind; always wearing it on her jobs (per Frisk requests) and under her dresses during formal events. Frisk stepped into the room, dropping her bag on the floor next to Chara’s half-empty daysack (also not a good sign). 

She took another step in and heard a cracking sound. Frisk looked down and saw she’d stepped on a curtain from one of the windows. She gingerly picked it up and the day’s afternoon sunlight hit the broken glass in a whirlwind of colors. Frisk turned to the window, confused when she saw it was still intact. She carefully picked her way across the floor, avoiding the more prominent broken glass, and put a hand to the window. Her hand never made contact because her hand passed straight through it and the illusion shattered. 

Frisk gasped at the sudden wave of magic and stumbled back, her back hitting the bed. She looked down at her hand. Thankfully, the illusion magic didn’t seem to have injured her at all, the skin tingling pleasantly as the leftover magic sunk in. Frisk sat back on the bed and picked up a piece of Chara’s armor. It was her chest plate and it was in desperate need of repairs. It had three large gashes in the front and small splatters of red decorated the inside as well as the outside where the wound had bled out.

Frisk screwed her eyes shut trying not to think of her sister being wounded. She needed to be logical about this and not let her emotions get the better of her.  _ Think, Frisk, think!  _ Chara’s armor was here which meant that whatever injury she had gotten was severe enough to make her stay at the scene of the battle, so a flesh wound most likely. 

Frisk looked around her and spotted Chara’s arm pieces but not her leg pieces of armor.  _ So she was in the middle of taking off her armor _ , Frisk thought.  _ Or her injury was worse than you thought and she was hurting too bad to take them off _ , her subconscious whispered. Frisk shook her head and took a shaky breath. She needed to stay focused. 

Frisk spotted Chara’s empty sword sheath lying on the ground near the window and she picked it up. She ran a finger around the inside of the sheath and her finger came out clean, no blood. So Chara had gotten into a fight with some kind of creature but hadn’t drawn her sword to defend herself? 

Frisk was so confused. Chara never passed up a chance to fight, even if it was just sparring with a random squire. So why hadn’t she protected herself from such an obvious threat? And where was her sword now?

A cold wind blew in from the broken window and Frisk lifted an arm to shield her face from the harsh weather. Something reflected the sunlight, catching her eye. A puddle of drying blood sat on the window sill in the shape of a handprint and Frisk unconsciously reached up to grab her flower pendant. 

She walked over to the window sill and looked out. The inn was on the outermost edges of the village so all Frisk saw was an open field with a couple of trees here and there before they blended together into a wild forest. About 20 feet away was an old oak tree with a branch broken off laying on the ground below it but that wasn’t what caught Frisk’s attention. It was the clear bloodstains on the ground slowly being covered with snow.

Throwing her better judgment out the window Frisk rushed out of the room and towards the stables, forgetting about the supplies she’d dropped next to the door. She ignored the Innkeeper’s angry shout about her running in his establishment. The only thought going through her mind was that Chara was injured and needed help, fast. 

Frisk easily picked Chancer out of all the horses in the stables and swung herself up onto his bareback like she’d done many times over the years. Chancer wasted no time and trotted out of the stables before breaking into a gallop as Frisk guided him towards the oak tree. 

When they got there Frisk slipped off Chancer and brushed her fingers over the blood. A red stain painted her fingertips and she quickly brushed it off in the snow. The blood was beginning to freeze meaning it wasn’t new but it had been spilled very recently. Frisk climbed back into Chancer and searched for any other sign of blood. Her father used to take her hunting when she was little and the tracking skills he’d taught her then were coming in handy.

There! About another twenty feet away was a small puddle of blood.

“Come on, Chancer. Let’s go find Chara,” Frisk said, gripping his mane. Chancer snorted in agreement and started in a gallop. Frisk kept her eyes wide open no matter how hard the wind blew and guided Chancer from one puddle to the next. It was no surprise the trail led into the woods but it did nothing to soothe the worry and guilt Frisk felt. 

_ This is all my fault _ , Frisk thought as tears rolling down her cheeks both from the wind and the guilt.  _ I should never have let her come back. It’s all my fault _ .

The forest became thicker and the path became more or less non-existent. Chancer’s breath came out in hot clouds of smoke and Frisk could feel the sweat building up on his sides but he didn’t slow down, continuing to ride through the forest, never pausing to question Frisk’s actions. They went on like this for what felt like hours before the trail went cold. 

Frisk slowly Chancer to a stop and slid off him, keeping a hand on his flank. Chancer’s sides heaved from the long run but at least he was warm from the exercise, Frisk wasn’t so lucky. She rubbed her hands together desperately trying to return feeling to the digits with little success. She stood beside Chancer for a good five minutes letting him rest. 

As much as Frisk wanted to find Chara, she would get nowhere if Chancer collapsed from exhaustion. As she waited Frisk looked around for blood, even the tiniest of drops to point her in the right direction and lady luck seemed to be on her side when she spotted a blood-soaked leaf ten paces ahead of them.

Chancer walked up behind her and nudged her shoulder. Frisk smiled at him and patted his head, gently stroking his ears the way he liked them. “Ready to go again?” Frisk asked and Chancer snorted, stomping a foot on the ground. Frisk took it as a yes and she swung herself back on to Chancer, her frozen muscles screaming in protest. 

The forest was thicker here and Chancer couldn’t manage anything faster than a light trot. There weren't any more signs of frozen blood along the path. Frisk didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing but her gut told her it was good. So clinging to the thought Frisk pushed on in the direction of the last blood sign. The forest had taken a darker tone and the snow was beginning to fall harder. Frisk looked up and all she saw were dark clouds heavy with snow and leafless branches curling down towards her like clawed hands. Frisk shuttered at the thought and looked back at the path in front of her.

The terrain here was more rocky and lifeless the farther they went in and Frisk had to (more than once) coax Chancer to continue down the path whenever he became weary. At this point, Frisk wondered if they were even going in the right direction and her heart clutched at the thought of losing Chara forever. She’d only just lose her parents, she couldn’t lose her sister too.

Suddenly there was a loud howling in the distance and they froze. Chancer’s ears were perked, listening to every sound and Frisk nervously looked around, gripping Chancer’s mane tighter for comfort. 

There was a second howl this time closer and then another answering call from a different wolf. Frisk leaned down to Chancer’s ear, “Run Chancer.” and he didn’t need to be told twice. He took off in a flurry of snow and dirt running in the opposite direction of the howls and Chara’s trail. Frisk tried to get Chancer to turn to at least stay close to the trial but he wasn’t having it, going off of the animalistic instinct that was telling him to Get Away. 

Frisk clung to his back as Chancer plowed through the forest, his body jolting whenever the wolves howled but his efforts were in vain. Every time the wolves howled they were closer. No matter how hard Frisk pushed Chancer, they were always closer. 

It all happened so fast, one second Frisk was on top of Chancer running for their lives, and the next she was being tossed to the ground. Frisk’s body connected with a tree before she bounced onto the ground. She gasped for air and coughed. Her back felt like a piece of shattered glass and the pain fractured her spine to sections of different pains.

Frisk braced herself up on her arm, her lungs heaving, and she heard a low growling. She whipped around and quickly scurried back until she was pressed against the tree she was flung against moments ago. 

A giant wolf stalked towards her, its hunger eyes boring into her skull refusing to look away from its prey. Its ribs jutted out prominently and its long humanoid limbs made a horrible popping sound with every step as if the joints were dislocating in doing the simple motion. Its fur at one point might have been white but it was matted and stained red with blood, both old and new. 

A howl echoed through the forest followed by a shrieking version of a neigh.  _ Chancer… he was gone. _

Blinking back tears Frisk felt around for anything to defend herself with. The wolf didn’t seem to care about what she was doing, probably thinking about what was the quickest way to eat her, and Frisk’s hand brushed a stick which she quickly grabbed. The wolf bunched its muscles and sprung at Frisk, mouth wide opened. 

Frisk swung the stick at the wolf and there was a satisfying  _ Crack _ as it connected with the wolf’s head. Frisk scrambled out of the way and held her stick out in front of her like a sword. The wolf collided with the tree and let out a painful whimper as it shook its head. It would have made Frisk feel sorry for it if it hadn’t turned on her, fur bristled and snarling but it sounded more like it was choking. Blood dripping from its maw in a display of terror and gore.

Frisk braced herself for the next attack but it never came. Just before the wolf leaped a roar sounded through the forest, shaking it to its roots. The roar was unlike anything Frisk had ever heard before and she was frozen by both fear and awe as it echoed in her ears and vibrated in her bones. 

The wolf’s eyes shifted from Frisk to something behind her and it growled, baring its teeth. Frisk couldn’t have moved to look behind her even if she wanted to, her feet frozen to the ground as adrenaline pulsed through her veins. 

The roar came against, softer but no less intimidating. The wolf flattered in its stance but didn’t move, its eyes flicking back to Frisk. The wolf growled a final time and it lunged at Frisk. Unprepared Frisk dropped the stick and ducked. She felt something leap over her and there was a loud grunt. Frisk heard the sound of something landing heavily in the snow and the wolf let out an agonizing yelp. 

Frisk opened her eyes to see a hulking figure standing over the wolf, a single talon effortlessly pinning the wolf’s head to the ground while it's twisted body thrashed around. The larger creature leaned its dragon-like head down next to the wolf’s ear and let out the same roar that still resonated in Frisk’s body from a few seconds ago. The wolf went limp and the creature growled warningly before lifting its talon. 

The wolf quickly stood up and stumbled away from the creature, no doubt still recovering from the roar. It disappeared into the timber leaving Frisk alone with the creature who’d just saved her life.

Frisk attempted to stand on her unsteady legs and said, “Thank you.” Frisk clasped her hands over her mouth the second the words came out and her heart pounded in her chest as the creature’s head snapped around to look at her. It moved faster than it should have been able to for a creature of its size but it was right in front of Frisk before she could even blink. 

The creature was three times as tall as Frisk and its body was at least twice the size of Chancer. Besides its chest and shoulder that were covered in fur, Frisk could see the creature was made entirely of bones, a walking skeleton. The creature’s head was almost the size of Frisk and they were so close Frisk could feel their hot breath through her cloak and dress. 

Frisk gulped. “H-hel-hello there,” she said shyly, waving her hand. 

The creature’s one red eye light (the other eye socket of cracked and damaged around the edges. A past injury that didn’t heal properly?) zoned in on her hand and they lunged towards it. The creature's muzzle ended up hitting Frisk in the shoulder and her legs decided now was a good time to give out. Frisk fell backwards and the last thing she saw before her head collided with a hidden rock was the creature taking a curious step towards her. 

~~~~****~~~~

**_Blood. Hurt. Scared. Don’t Be Scared. Tears. No Tears..._ **

**_Safe. Warm. Heal. Safe With Me…_ **

**_Beautiful. Radiant. Flowers. Angel. My Angel…_ **

~~~~****~~~~

The first thing Frisk realized when she came too was that she was warm. Her body was no longer cold and stiff but nimble and flexible again. For a moment Frisk felt like she was back at home. She stretched out her sore muscles but hissed as pain shot up her spine. Then Frisk remembered. Her eyes flew open and she knew she wasn’t at home. The ceiling was high above her. Once upon a time, a mural might have been painted up there but the paint had long since faded away. 

Frisk felt a knot of worry twist in her stomach. She turned her head to the side and came face to face a giant fireplace where a fire had been lit. By who Frisk didn’t know... well, maybe she did but it didn’t make any sense. 

Frisk was laying out in what looked to be a huge nest of blankets and fur pelts. Frisk could see the fur of a common deer and the hide of a rare northern black bear along with many others she didn’t know the names of and Frisk prided herself on knowing every creature, big or small.

With a little bit of effort, Frisk managed to sit up and get a better look at her surroundings. Besides the grand fireplace, the room was otherwise completely dark but Frisk could make out a pair of double doors that no doubt led deeper into the building Frisk was in. The nest Frisk was in was near the edge of the room where a small strip about twenty feet wide circled the room and then dipped down to what Frisk thought looked like a dance floor. 

Frisk’s eyes were slowly adjusting now and she could make out the broken orchestra baloney and shattered diamond chandeliers hanging from the ceiling by rusted chains. What really sold Frisk on the ballroom theory was the three thrones sitting like ancient statues in the light of the moon. The glass wall behind the thrones was broken like everything else but Frisk could picture it so clearly in her mind. 

The intricate design of the stained glass is a backdrop to the royal family as they sit on their thrones watching their citizens happily dance to the music of the orchestra. The reflecting light of chandeliers highlighting the beautiful mural on the ceiling for all to see. 

It sounded like something out of a fairytale.

_ Cccrrreeeekkkkk!!! _

Frisk whipped her head towards the sound but regretted it when her vision started to swirl. She squinted into the darkness and gasped when she saw a familiar red eyelight staring back at her. 

The Creature was standing in the doorway and something hanging from his jaws that looked a lot like the dead carcass of a cougar. They stared at each other for a moment before the Creature started walking to Frisk. Five long steps later, they were in front of Frisk with what was indeed a dead cougar. 

The Creature dropped the cougar with a sickening thud and nudged it closer to Frisk, sitting back on its hindquarters. Frisk looked back and forth between the carcass and the Creature (she kind of felt bad for calling them “the creature” but what else was she supposed to call them) and made a “woo” face. 

“Y-you want me t-to eat it?” She said, her voice cracking. 

The Creature didn’t answer but nudged the carcass again which was answer enough. Frisk bit her lip not knowing how to tell a creature who could snap her in half without a second thought that she couldn’t eat raw meat. She wasn’t going to deny it, she was hungry but she wasn’t to the point where she’d pounce on any random animal carcass for a raw meal. 

“I- umm, “Frisk started, backing away from the carcass, “I d-don’t know how t-to tell you this o-or if you’ll even understand m-me but I can’t that.” 

The Creature cocked its head to the side and studied Frisk. It’s single eyelight drinking Frisk in but not in the way the Innkeeper had the day before (had it been a day?), more like they were admiring a priceless jewel and at the same time trying to read Frisk’s reactions. It made Frisk’s heart skip a beat and she smiled sincerely. 

The Creature’s eyelight grew at the sight of her smile and after a few seconds, they looked down at the carcass. They placed a clawed hand over the cougar’s flank. “Can’t… eat,” They said, their deep male voice grave and horse from going unused. 

Frisk’s eyes widen in surprise. “You can talk?!” she said before she could catch herself. The Creature looked back up but didn’t answer. Frisk cleared her throat, not missing how the Creature’s gaze shifted to watch her neck muscles work, and she softly repeated, “Yes. I can’t eat raw meat. It has to be cooked, like on a fire.” She motioned to the fire behind her and the Creature followed her hand. A look of understanding flashed in his eye socket and he bent down to the cougar. 

At first, Frisk thought he was going to take it away but instead he buried his massive teeth in the hardened flank. He gripped the meat tighter before yanking the meat free from the cougar’s ribcage. Frisk had to hold back her vomit as she saw a small intestine fell out of the carcass and skidded on to the floor. The Creature, however, didn’t seem to be bothered by the gore and had risen back to his sitting position. Frisk watched as the Creature didn’t swallow the meat but held it in his mouth. Small beams of light and smoke pooled out from between his teeth as he continued to not shallow. 

Soon the light and smoke faded and the Creature leaned down close to the edge of the nest closest to Frisk. She leaned back a little when he came closer still and dropped a piece of  _ cooked _ meat on her lap. He sat back on his hind legs as he patiently waited for Frisk to eat it.

Frisk blinked a couple of times before it fully registered in her mind she’d just seen the same creature who had saved her life use magic to cook a piece of meat after she told him she couldn’t eat raw meat. _ I guess that explains how he started the fire too _ , she thought silently, stealing a glance up at the Creature. He was still watching for Frisk, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Frisk's stomach growled in anticipation and she blushed, embarrassed. The Creature’s eyelight blew wide again and he made a sound like a whimper crossed with a growl, telling Frisk to eat the food she’d been given.

Not wanting to put it off any longer and risk angering the Creature (no matter how docile he seemed) she turned away from the opened carcass and bit into the hunk of meat. It was juicy and cooked all the way through, not a hint of pink in the center. Frisk covered her mouth when she involuntarily moaned at the flavors dancing around in her mouth. 

The Creature eyelight grew to fill his whole eye socket and he laid down on his stomach, putting his head on the edge of the nest watching her as if she’d just perfectly sang Je Vivroie Liement and not just made the most unladylike noise ever.

“Sorry,” she said after swallowing the bite. The Creature narrowed his eyes and sighed, his smoky breath washing over Frisk.‘ _ There’s nothing to be sorry about _ ’ he seemed to say but it didn’t do much to help with her blushing embarrassment. 

Frisk continued to eat the meat (ignore the carcass, ignore the carcass), and when she finished she let out a content sigh. With a full belly and the heat from the fire, Frisk was half tempted to fall back asleep right then and there, but her plans were thrown out the window when the Creature shifted and stood. Frisk crawled over to the edge of the nest and asked, “Where are you going?” It felt selfish to want the creature to stay but Frisk still had no idea where she was and the creature made her feel safer for whatever reason. 

The Creature’s tail twitched and he turned back to Frisk. He walked back over to her and leaned down to eye level. “You… Me- stay?” he said hopefully. It took Frisk a moment to fill in the blanks but when she got it she nodded. “I don’t know where I am and you make me feel safer,” she said avoiding his intense gaze. 

Suddenly Frisk felt a wet surface on her hands as the Creature licked the remaining meat juices off her hands. Her blush deepened as she laughed at the tickling sensation on her palms. The Creature seemed to enjoy her laughter if his tail wagging wasn’t enough proof, then the way he started to clumsily licked her hand faster to get Frisk to laugh harder was, and it worked to some extent.

“S-stop it,” Frisk giggled and the creature stopped. His giant muzzle gently pressed against her hands and his eye light was softly blooming and retracing in his socket. It was like he couldn’t take his eyes off of her and Frisk was sure he could hear her racing heart. 

The Creature sighed and touched his nose to her chest, nuzzling her neck gently. His body expanded as he took a deep breath, holding it, then breathing out, and repeating. Oddly Frisk didn’t feel like she was in danger. This creature was in a position where he could easily rip her throat out but instead, he was breathing in her scent and savoring it like a sweet piece of candy. The rhythmic waves of his smokey breath and brushes were strangely therapeutic, but Frisk felt like she was forgetting something.

_ Chara!  _ Frisk’s eyes snapped open and she pushed the Creature’s head away. The creature’s eye light flickered back into existence like he’d closed his eyes, and looked down at her in dazed confusion. 

Frisk carefully picked her words and desperately hoped the Creature understood her. He’d been in the forest long before Frisk had started her search (probably was his hunting grounds) so maybe he’d seen Chara and whatever creature had attacked her. 

“When I was in the forest, I was looking for my sister.” No response. “She looks like me but she’s taller and has shorter red hair. She had been missing for days and I think she’s injured,” Frisk finished, eyes darting across the Creature's boney features for any sign of comprehension.

He didn’t disappoint Frisk when his eye light’s fussy edge hardened and slowly his head bobbed his head in an up and down motion.

Frisk could have burst into tears but she held it together. “Is she okay?” Where is she? I need to go find her!” Frisk moved to get out of the nest but the Creature’s talon shot out to block her exit. For the first time since meeting the Creature, Frisk felt true fear shake her body and she was reminded all too quickly that she wasn’t a guest but being held prisoner by a wild animal. 

Frisk turned, craning her neck to see the Creature’s eyelight raining down on her in a crazed version of concern. “No… Safe,” he bellowed and used a finger to push Frisk back into the nest. Frisk slid down the small slope of furs and landed back in the middle. She huffed and stood up, determined to find her sister now that she knew for sure she was out there.

“I have to find her, I don’t care if it’s not safe. She’s my sister,” Frisk stated, crossing her arms over her chest for emphasis. The deathly calm that followed was not what she was aiming for and Frisk had to resist the urge to look away from the shrunken red orb that glowed brighter than the blazing fire behind her. 

Neither of them back down and after what felt like hours Frisk whispered, “Do you have a sister? A brother?” The Creature’s gaze wavered but remained strong. Frisk licked her suddenly dry lips. “You do or at least someone you care about. So, what would you do if you knew they were hurt and lost? Wouldn't you want to go save them too?” 

Another flicker and his tail twitched. Frisk watched his jaw open a fraction and she had to strain her ears to hear what he was saying. “Here,” he breathed, “Is… Here.” Frisk’s jaw dropped and her arms waved in frantic gestures as words came tumbling out of her mouth.

“She’s here!? Chara’s here-” Frisk shook her head and stepped towards the Creature, “-You have to take me to her.”

The Creature snorted and said again, “No -safe.” 

Frisk took another step. “Then come with me. You can protect me while I see my sister,” she reasoned, taking another step. “Please.” 

The Creature growled low in his throat and took a hesitant step back, allowing for Frisk to stumble out of the nest onto the cracked marble floor. Frisk braced herself up against one of the pillars and waited for the feeling to return to her legs. 

Frisk had never been a very demanding person, some might even call her a pushover, and having just ordered a being of  _ magic _ to do something was way out of her comfort zone.

The Creature nudged her shoulder and Frisk patted his nose as a reflex. His eye light grew and a low rumble of a purr echoed through the ballroom. Frisk gave him a few more strokes and she found herself enjoying the contact once again. 

Frisk dropped her hand (much to the creature’s dismay) and pushed herself off the pillar. She hopped down the three steps on to the dancefloor and the creature stepped over them as if they weren’t there. Frisk walked beside the hulking figure of her escort and she had to pick up the pace to match for his long strides. The Creature looked down and seeing Frisk struggling to keep up, shortened his steps. They made it over to the door and he pushed open the massive door with ease. 

There was so much about him that fascinated Frisk and it wasn’t just his strength. His magic was similar to the magic told in the ancient stories and bedside fairytales. The stories telling of a beautiful enchantress that punished a race of creatures to a lifetime of torment after they went back on a deal with her. Frisk never really enjoyed the stories very much but Chara loved them, pretending to be the enchantress taking on the armies of monsters one by one. 

The Creature’s magic was purple, the color of nobility, and the supernatural which led Frisk to think he was a boss monster if the stories were to be believed. Boss monsters were creatures of immense power and a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. They were the ones who were punished the most because they were the ones who had asked for the enchantress’s help in the first place. 

If it was true the Creature was a boss monster then that meant the stories were true, or at least some of them (the one about the unicorns was a bit of a stretch). Frisk looked up at him and tried to decipher which boss monster he was. There weren’t very many Frisk could recall but the ones she could didn’t look or sound like him. He didn’t have a goat-like appearance or fins of any kind. 

_ So not the royal family or Guard _ , Frisk thought. 

Other than those, Frisk didn’t know of any other boss monsters fitting the creature’s description or his protective behavior (she assumed it was protective). 

Frisk was right when she thought it was a castle. Larger and expansive, Frisk lost all sense of direction after the first couple of turns and was relying on the Creature alone to guide her through the maze of halls and rooms. Most of the castle was broken, some walls entirely smashed in, but there were parts where an old but intact tapestry still hung or a portrait remaining on the wall. 

At one point, the Creature stopped and sniffed the air. He cupped Frisk's side with one giant paw and pulled her close to his chest. Frisk was confused about why he was making her walk in between his front legs, effectively caged her in, but she was in one place to judge his actions. After all, he was taking her to her sister, right? And as long as she got there everything would be fine.

Soon the silence started to get to Frisk and she coughed, gaining the Creature’s attention. “So what is your name?” Frisk asked him. The Creature’s expression gave nothing away and a low growl vibrated in his chest. Frisk let her hand reassuringly brush the bone on his forelimb. “You don’t remember, do you?”

He growled again, softer, and he kicked a rock out of their path, sending it flying into a random room. 

Frisk hummed and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Well,” she said, “I can’t just keep calling you Creature, so what about… Adam?” He shook his head with a snort. Frisk laughed, “Okay, not that one. Umm, Chase?” Another snort. “Eiden.” A growl.

Frisk picked at the edge of her cloak trying to think of other names. “Bob?” She said after not coming up with anything. The Creature stopped and crouched down to her level. Frisk rolled her eyes, “Oh don’t give me that look.” He was giving her the if-you-say-one-more-word-I’ll-smite-you-look Chara gave Frisk daily but yet, like everything else he did, it was tender. 

Frisk waved her hands, “Okay okay. Not a traditionalist I see. What about…” she trailed off looking over the Creature for any ideas of what name to guess next. There was his matted fur, his powerful talons, the long boney tail, and let's not forget how big he is compared to Frisk. 

She reached out and ran her fingers along the crack in the middle of his cranium, most likely made by a sharp claw or tooth. The Creature purred happily leaning into her touch, his eye light blinking in and out of the darkness of his eye socket. 

“What about Skull, it’s simple and unique even if it isn’t a real name,” Frisk said jokingly, fully expecting him to shoot down the idea but his purr crescendoed and Frisk caught the small flecks of purple magic rising from his fur. “You want me to call you Skull?” Frisk said, surprised. 

Skull purred again and Frisk chuckled. “Alright then, Skull it is until we can figure out your real name.” Skull pushing back on her hand for a final time before standing up. He gently turned Frisk back around and walked so his chest fur brushed against the back of Frisk’s cloak every time he took a step. That was another thing Frisk could add to the growing list of things that surprised her about Skull, he liked to touch her. Even the small brushes seem to be doing wonders for him, his eyelight blown wide whenever he looked down at Frisk. 

It wasn’t long after their conversation they arrived at a pair of large wooden doors similar to the ballroom doors and Skull pushed one open just enough for them to squeeze through. 

A growl came from another monster laying in the center of the room on a nest just like the one Frisk had woken up in. The monster looked a lot like Skull, a dragon skeleton base with fur but theirs had an orangish tint to it instead of purple and his muzzle was slimmer and not as heavily scarred as Skull’s. 

Frisk watched the orange monster curl his tail around something, growling, and Frisk saw the familiar fluff of Chara’s red hair. She wanted to run to her sister but Skull stepped in front of her, blocking her view of Chara and the other monster.

Skull growled at the other monster and they retaliated with their own higher pitched snarl. 

Frisk didn’t know if they were communicating or if they were just in a stand-off. After weighing her options, Frisk stayed behind Skull waiting for his okay to go see Chara; better to wait and survive then get her head bitten off by an angry orange magic monster.

Frisk almost didn’t hear it over the sounds of growling and roaring but she could make out the sound of Chara’s voice as she said, “Papyrus? What’s going on?”

Frisk quickly ducked under Skull’s underbelly and popped out the other side. She ignored Skull’s warning growl as she watched Chara sit up out of her tail cocoon and their eyes met.

“Frisk”


End file.
